Style Icon: John Lennon

It should be no big surprise to anyone who knows me well that I decided to write a post about John Lennon.  It was only a matter of time, right? Like I said, if you know me, you know that I am a huge fan. I love his music, I love his legacy. In my opinion, he was a wonderful human being and it is truly awful that he is no longer with us. His art has been such a source of inspiration for me, and has helped me get through extremely difficult times in my life. I always appreciated his honesty and his vulnerability. I appreciated how he showed us he was human and not just a celebrity.

A few nights ago I finally got a chance to view "LennonNYC", a documentary about John's years in New York City. It was a wonderful film and I really enjoyed it. Of course they talked of his music, his life, and his struggles. I took it all in, and loved every moment. As a teenager, I longed for the opportunity to learn more about an artist I found interesting, and listen the music that I couldn't get enough of. But as I've gotten older, my views on my icons have changed and evolved into knew perceptions. It wasn't until this year that I stepped back and noticed not only was John a talented artist,  but that he had a great sense of style! I mean, seriously! The man knew how to dress. Instead of going into why I love John, why he is, and will always be, my favorite Beatle, I wanted to, instead, talk about his amazing style. 

So here are my top 5 reasons why I believe John Lennon is a style icon:

5. His Glasses:

So when most people think of John Lennon, they think of his iconic glasses. I'm pretty sure anytime anyone sees circular lenses they think of a specific Beatle. The thing is, these glasses seemed to pop up out of nowhere around the time Sgt. Pepper was released, and stuck around ever since. Although the glasses seemed sudden, his poor eye sight was a problem he had been dealing with for quite some time. John had terrible vision, and if you look into it, you can find quite a few photos of him behind the scenes in 1964ish wearing his thick framed "nerd" glasses. (funny that those are quite popular today). It has been said that he hated wearing glasses and we can all understand this to a certain degree. It's no mystery that wearing glasses is a big indicator of being a nerd. So what did he do? Be blind. If you watch any of The Beatles concert videos from 1963 until around '66 you are witnessing a very visually impaired musician on stage. Well I guess when he discovered his round specs, the wariness of nerdom faded away and I for one am glad it did! These glasses are unique and framed his face just right. What's more, as he embraced glasses he found ways to make them a part of his personal style. Many of his glasses had tinted lenses, or slightly different shaped frames. Glasses can be fun and rock n' roll, and I think John taught us that. He made prescription glasses stylish! So thanks for that.

4. His Hair:

The Beatles band members seemed to be the leaders in the 60's hair movement. Buzz cuts were out and growing  your hair long was in! Not that we would consider the "Beatle cut" to be very long these days, but back then it set them apart from the rest and gave the kids a style they could emulate. Even looking at photos of my dad at age 11, he had the Beatle bowl on strong. That "long hair"!  Years before The Beatles got big, actually long before The Beatles even existed, John was a "punk" kid in art school and his hair reflected his attitude. He wore a very greaser style hairdo and it looked pretty amazing. I think John always had fantastic hair. It was always changing, and it always looked good. I think it's safe to say that we all get a little bored of the same old same old, even if it was considered different or unique at some point. I mean it is honestly hard for me to find a hair-style that truly surprises me these days. From shaved heads to colorful mohawks, it's happened. And although certain hair styles may be shocking to some, having a hair-do be a part of your style is nothing new.

Slicked back, Beatle bowl, past his shoulders, shaved off or shaggy, it always looked good. I really love how much Johns hair did change, and how each style was so different and yet so "him". I've had my fair share of interesting hair styles. Different lengths, different colors, but I can't say that I always looked good. Thumbs up to you, Mr. Lennon.

3. He knew how to wear a hat

Is it just me, or do guys just not wear hats anymore? And I'm not talking about baseball caps and knitted beanies. I'm talking HATS people! Stylish hats. If there is one thing I did not expect to take away from the NYC documentary, it was that John wore some beautiful hats. I absolutely love the floppy brimmed hat top left. I mean I wish I wore more hats like that. So I don't have much else to say except John Lennon and hats...the end.

2. His personality:

There was something about John that got peoples attention (and honestly still does). He spoke from his heart, his personality came across as 'delightfully in your face'. His body language was calm and yet very powerful. He had an attitude about him, whether he decided it to be positive or not. A strong persona is definitely stylish, and John Lennon had that, not doubt about it. I think this kinda blends into how your personal style should suit you as an individual. They say not to judge a book by it's cover, and I think that is very true. But at the same time, the way you present yourself to the world is a kind of a personal advertisement. You want people to know how you plan on be perceived. What you love. What you represent. John Lennon was described as being "anti-establishment" and I think his style reflected that. He wasn't going to settle for normal. That's something I love the most, proof that you can go against the grain and still have style. I love looking through his photographs and seeing how he took beautiful pieces and put them together in a hodgepodge of brilliant outfits. 

1. His style evolved with him


And finally, let's talk about how John allowed his style to evolve with him. Obviously the outfit on the left side isn't his normal attire, but he still looks pretty good in my opinion. haha! But seriously, I think these two photos side by side are a good representation on how John's style changed, and yet aspects never really got taken out of the equation. (notice the polka dot tie on the right?). For some Beatles fans it was difficult to see their beloved band rid themselves of the suits and signature hair cut, and then start growing beards and moustaches, wearing bellbottom jeans and fur vests. They were entering a time of change and they themselves were changing as musicians. They were tired of being looked at and wanted to be heard again. But sometimes being heard and being seen go hand in hand. New styles were popping up around 1966, where you weren't seeing as much matching suits or whatever, and I think that was the beginning of the end of the "Beatles" look.

This was a good thing too because it allowed John to be his own person again, or maybe a version of himself he had been building up to. He wasn't one to be contained and things definitely started getting weird around this time. The mid to late 60's were a time of outrageous and wonderful style trends. It was all about being out there and different. Having a voice and making people feel and think differently.  John embraced this and this was the era when he started to build his signature look. Clothing and accessories that would become iconic symbols of this great artist. I can recall my grandmother buying me some "John Lennon Sunglasses" (they even had his signature on them). I didn't think that looked that great on me but how I wish I had them today! In an earlier post I wrote about allowing your style to evolve with you. To be who you are, and allow your style to be a reflection of that. I will never really know how John Lennon felt about his style or how his style impacted or influenced his fans.

 I actually feel a little silly writing a post about his clothes and not his music. But the thing is, he wasn't just a musician, he was so much more. One thing I want to give him credit for is being himself. I read that he loved clothes, and I think he loved a lot of things, but clothing can be such a personal thing. Our appearance is extremely personal. Showing our comfort levels and how we want to been seen by others, taking risks, or even just showing how we feel about ourselves. John never took on the role as a washed up has been. He moved forward, he was true to himself, and he had great style along the way. So thank you, John. For so many things.

And here is a clip from his last interview before he was killed. I know he's not really talking about style, but I felt it went along with this post. Thanks for reading! Who are some of your style icons? "I'm not gonna come back in and try and create a persona who would not be myself"